The Georgian government has reversed its decision to merge Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) and Georgian Technical University (GTU).
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the decision at a briefing held at the Government Administration. Prior to the briefing, the Prime Minister met with the rector and professors of Georgian Technical University.
Kobakhidze claimed that it was agreed during the meeting that GTU will no longer merge with Tbilisi State University and will instead be transformed into a “purely technical” university in line with the one city – one faculty principle.
“We have agreed that the Georgian Technical University and Tbilisi State University will no longer merge. In addition, within the framework of the one city, one faculty principle, the Georgian Technical University will be transformed into a purely technical university. Accordingly, only those disciplines that were taught at the Technical University before the 1990s will be taught there in the future,” Kobakhidze said.
He added that admissions will no longer be announced for disciplines that were not part of GTU’s curriculum prior to the 1990s, starting from the next academic year. Non-technical study programs currently operating at GTU will remain in an interim regime for the next two years.
The government’s initial decision to merge TSU and GTU became public on January 29 and was met with strong criticism from the academic and scientific communities of both universities.
The Tbilisi State University Senate stated that the proposed merger was neither substantiated nor appropriate and called for the process to be halted in favor of active dialogue with stakeholders.
At the same time, the GTU Academic Council opposed any form of restriction of university autonomy, including through a potential merger, and urged the government to suspend the process until thorough discussions were held and the university’s consent was obtained.
The Prime Minister’s latest announcement follows consultations with GTU representatives and marks a shift in the government’s higher education reform approach.
Image source: IPN
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